Antelope/Main article
Antelope is a term referring to many ungulate species indigenous to various regions in Africa and Eurasia.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antelope Appearance The anatomy of an antelope greatly resembles that of a deer; their bodies are small and slender, their necks slight, and their legs long and muscular. However, there are several differences that set individual species of antelope apart from one another. For example, a male Common Eland can measure 178 centimeters at the shoulder and weigh almost 950 kilograms, whereas an adult Royal Antelope may stand only 24 centimeters at the shoulder and weigh a mere 1.5 kilograms. Similarly, antelope have a wide variety of outer coverings, although most species have a thick pelt of short fur. Their teeth are exceptionally strong, used primarily for grinding cud into a more digestible substance, while their head features sometimes consist of antlers or horns, commonly used for self-defense. Information In the Real World The term 'antelope' can refer to a number of different species. There are ninety-one different kinds of antelope, most of which are native to Africa. A group of antelope is called a "herd." All antelope have horns, though in some species, they are only found on the males. They are permanently attached, not like a deer’s, which are shed each year.http://www.sandiegozoo.org/animalbytes/t-antelope.html Antelope are sometimes imported to other countries for exotic game hunting, though escapes are not unheard of. Parts of Texas are able to sustain antelope, so groups of the creatures now reside there, even though they are not native to that area. Most antelope species live on the African savanna, though some are known to reside in forests, deserts, and even extreme cold-living places. Their lifespan is quite unknown, as most antelope are killed as prey before they can reach old age. The best estimate thus far is around twenty-one years. Though they are often killed in the wild, antelope do have a few weapons of defense to keep themselves further out of harm's way. For one, they are very agile and have good endurance, which is very effective when running from animals that tire easily, such as cheetahs. Furthermore, their fur is colored to blend into the landscape and their hearing is very good. Antelope are sometimes prized among humans for their horns. In many places, an antelope horn represents a form of medicinal or magical power. Other antelope are used for domestication purposes. It is often difficult to cage an antelope, as males tend to be very aggressive and all antelope are good jumpers, so fences don't always keep them in. There have been many attempts to domesticate an antelope, but thus far, all have failed. In The Lion King Antelope make their first appearance at Simba's presentation during the "Circle of Life" sequence. They make their second appearance when Simba is a cub, in which they sing "I Just Can't Wait to be King" with numerous other African animals. They are later mentioned by Simba, who asks Timon and Pumbaa about the kind of prey that resides in the jungle. In addition, antelope are seen throughout the Pride Lands for the rest of the film, but are of little to no significance. They are last seen at Pride Rock for the presentation of Simba's newborn cub. In The Lion King II: Simba's Pride Antelope come to Kiara's presentation at the beginning of the film. They are seen again in "We Are One," "Not One of Us," and "Love Will Find a Way." As was the case in the first film, antelope are seen throughout the Pride Lands for the rest of the film, but are of little to no significance. In The Lion King 1½ Antelope are seen at Simba's presentation as the sequence from the first film carries out. In The Lion King: Six New Adventures In A Tale of Two Brothers A horrible drought has plagued the Pride Lands, and all the animals are coming before Ahadi for help. The antelope complain that there are hardly any leaves left, thanks to the giraffes. They are supported in their claim by the zebras. In Vulture Shock At the beginning of the story, Kopa, the prince of the Pride Lands, is going to the waterhole to watch his father break up a fight between the antelope and a hippopotamus named Kiboko. Simba asks for a representative among the antelope, and Nzee steps forward, explaining that Kiboko has taken the waterhole from her and her herd. Kiboko retorts by spraying them with water, and Nzee angrily tells Simba that Kiboko is big, dirty, and smelly. When asked why he no longer lives in his swamp, Kiboko gargles loudly, and Nzee nearly attacks him in her mad anger. At the same moment, Kopa comes up to his father and asks him about their "family tree." The antelope pressure Simba, who finally has to send his son away. The result of the feud is unknown. In How True, Zazu? Nzee, an antelope, and her daughter, Nzuri, show up at the waterhole one day to talk with Muwa, Pembe, and their children about the nosiness of the king's majordomo, Zazu. The adults go to discuss the matter further, but the young animals think it a fun idea to spread false rumors around the Pride Lands to get Zazu in trouble. Later, during an army ant attack, Nzee helps to push rocks off Zulu Falls so the river floods and drowns the ants. Antelope are seen around the Pride Lands throughout the book, but are of little to no significance. In [[The Hakuna Matata Magazine Series|The Hakuna Matata Magazine Series]] In Hunt for Help During a fire, antelope are seen fleeing from the flames alongside other Pridelanders. In The Ghost Elephant Simba sees several animals fleeing from Giganta, among them a herd of gazelles. Notable Antelope * Machufa is the leader of his herd, presumably. * Nzee is a member of Machufa's herd. * Nzuri is the daughter of Nzee. Trivia * The plural form of "antelope" can be either "antelope" or "antelopes."http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/antelope#Noun ** While Mufasa refers to them as "antelope" in The Lion King,http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bW7PlTaawfQ&t=0m58s Simba refers to them as "antelopes" in Vulture Shock. Gallery Dikdik.jpg|An infant dik-dik Babygazelle.JPG|An infant gazelle Antelope2.jpg|An infant impala Babyoryx.jpg|An infant oryx Kuduparent.jpg|A mother kudu and her young Lechweparent.jpg|A mother lechwe and her young Pronghornparent.jpg|A mother pronghorn antelope and her young Topiparent.jpg|A mother topi and her young Gemsbok.jpg|An adult gemsbok Sableantelope.jpg|An adult sable antelope 800px-Antidorcas marsupialis 2.jpg|An adult springbok Blackbuck.jpg|Blackbucks sparring Eland.jpg|A pair of eland antelope Gerenuks.jpg|A pair of gerenuks Runningantelope.jpg|Lechwes running Antelope-Herd.jpg|A herd of pronghorn antelope Playantelope.jpg|Gazelles as they appear in the stage musical Antelope5.jpg|Topi during "Circle of Life" Springbok.jpg|A herd of springbok during "Circle of Life" Antelope8.jpg|Kudu at Simba's presentation Antelope9.jpg|Sable antelope during "I Just Can't Wait to be King" Antelope6.jpg|Topi during "He Lives in You" Antelopekiara.jpg|Oryx bow before Kiara Weareoneantelope.jpg|Gazelles during "We Are One" Antelope7.jpg|Oryx help to drive Kovu out of the Pride Lands Antelope10.jpg|Gazelles embrace during "Love Will Find a Way" References Category:Animals Category:Antelope Category:Groups